BritERA

[Thriftweed]

Greetings, I mostly lurk around on ERA having made it across from the old site when all that went down, but seeing as I've stumbled across a thread of the homeland I figured I'd try and join in a bit more.

To the quiz!

Where do you come from? Born in the Black Country (Walsall to be specific), grew up near Bristol (the Chew Valley area to be specific again) and have lived in Plymouth since 2007
What's your job/current education/whatever the heck it is you're up to? I work as a cover teacher/admin assistant/technician in a secondary school. It's half term this week, woo.
What do you hope to achieve before your futile existence comes to an end? The same thing I do everyday Pinky, try to take over the world...
Favourite daytime TV show? I haven't got one, but during my first year of Uni (2007/2008) my daytime TV routine was Neighbors, Doctors, Diagnosis Murder. Then Neighbors moved to Channel 5 and fucked everything up as I couldn't get that channel in my flat.
Fish or chips? Both with a side of curry sauce
Daddy or chips? Chips
What's your tipple of choice? Thatcher's Gold
Favourite party snack? Mini sausage rolls and party rings
Who is the best bald person? It's a tie between Captain Picard and Richard O'Brien
What's your disappointing claim to fame? I met the drummer from DragonForce when buying my ticket to their Cardiff show in 2005 and asked him about posting on the MXtabs forums.
What's your perfect Sunday? Stay at home in my PJs with my family
Did you threaten to overrule him? Yes
Did you threaten to overrule him? No
It's a yes or no question minister, did you threaten to overrule him? Is this a Yes Prime Minister reference? I haven't seen the show

 

[Slyonic]

Quick question from someone visiting London this weekend; Can you enter Sky Garden without having a ticket?

The website isn't really helping me out.

 

[JonathanEx]

Quick question from someone visiting London this weekend; Can you enter Sky Garden without having a ticket?

The website isn't really helping me out.

Click to shrink...

It's free, they open up tickets a week or two in advance for slots. They do some walk ins though, you'll want that section here: https://skygarden.london/plan-your-visit

 

[Slyonic]

It's free, they open up tickets a week or two in advance for slots. They do some walk ins though, you'll want that section here: https://skygarden.london/plan-your-visit

Click to shrink...

Thanks for the information, I knew it was free, but those tickets seemed to go very fast. They don't do walk-ins on Saturday and Sunday, am I right?

 

[Theonik]

Thanks for the information, I knew it was free, but those tickets seemed to go very fast. They don't do walk-ins on Saturday and Sunday, am I right?

Click to shrink...

It's a matter of capacity. Can get very busy and they need to make sure they only let so many people up there…
Walk-ins are the times on the site that aren't ticketed so for the weekend:
Saturday: 0800-1100 and 2100-0100
Sunday: 0800-1100 and 2100-0000

 

[Slyonic]

It's a matter of capacity. Can get very busy and they need to make sure they only let so many people up there…
Walk-ins are the times on the site that aren't ticketed so for the weekend:
Saturday: 0800-1100 and 2100-0100
Sunday: 0800-1100 and 2100-0000

Click to shrink...

Ah, got it. Thanks so much, I'll see if I can get in when I'm near there.

 

[Deleted member 1478]

Well the hotel we are staying at for MCM promised to bring an extra bed up 3 times today as I booked a twin room and they've finally admitted that they've run out. My friend is have to sleep on a bench in the room now...

 

[Reanimatoin]

Christ, thats a shitty situation. What hotel is it?

 

[Deleted member 1478]

The Aloft, right next to the Excel. We waited 3 more hours for the bedding they promised us and then went and complained again. It's now arrived and it's a kids duvet. You can't make this stuff up!

 

[BGBW]

They probably thought only kids go to comic based conventions.

 

[Deleted member 1478]

Anyone been to Hyper Japan in London before? Thinking about going this weekend as I'm going to be in London anyway so was wondering if its worth it and maybe booking at extra night in the hotel for.

 

[Theonik]

Anyone been to Hyper Japan in London before? Thinking about going this weekend as I'm going to be in London anyway so was wondering if its worth it and maybe booking at extra night in the hotel for.

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Hyper Japan is OK for one day and especially if you are already around. Not sure staying an extra day for.
It's more like a chill day of loitering and hanging out with acquaintances for me, because the events are pretty much non-existent…

 

[Deleted member 1478]

Hyper Japan is OK for one day and especially if you are already around. Not sure staying an extra day for.
It's more like a chill day of loitering and hanging out with acquaintances for me, because the events are pretty much non-existent…

Click to shrink...

Thanks. I've decided against booking the extra night on Friday so I may go on Sunday after the Band-Maid gig Saturday night.

 

[sir_crocodile]

Aldi are doing california reaper sausages

pretty damn hot, had to cook them with the window open. will have to buy a bunch of them before aldi end them

 

[Deleted member 1726]

Aldi are doing california reaper sausages

pretty damn hot, had to cook them with the window open. will have to buy a bunch of them before aldi end them

Click to shrink...

I'll have to pop along and see if the local one has some

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

I can never remember if my town has an Aldi or Lidl. Or, for that matter, tell them apart if I'm in either one. It's just shelves of pastries and beer that I don't recognise.

 

[NinjaBoiX]

Aldi is good man, really great food for amazing prices. OK, so the checkouts are a bit small and you have to pack your shopping quickly, if those are the costs you have to cut I'm all for it.

Lidl is grim, can't deal with that place. Stacks of boxes piled on top of each other with garish luminous yellow signs randomly scattered about. It's like a pop-up but it's all gone a bit wrong.

 

[FantasticMrSnake]

Thanks. I've decided against booking the extra night on Friday so I may go on Sunday after the Band-Maid gig Saturday night.

Click to shrink...

LTTP: Did you end up going? Did you enjoy it?

I personally found it more shallow/boring every year, I had free entry the last 3 times because i was working on a Japanese company but if i have to pay, i wouldn't go anymore.

 

[Deleted member 1478]

LTTP: Did you end up going? Did you enjoy it?

I personally found it more shallow/boring every year, I had free entry the last 3 times because i was working on a Japanese company but if i have to pay, i wouldn't go anymore.

Click to shrink...

Nah I just ended up going to the Band-Maid gig (which was amazing btw) and then wandering around London with a friend on the Sunday and getting accosted by some vegans in Leicester Square while eating a sausage lol.

 

[Cindres]

Woah, activity in BritERA.

Funnily enough I just got back from Aldi, closest supermarket to me which I love 'cause Aldi is the best supermarket imo.

Aldi is good man, really great food for amazing prices. OK, so the checkouts are a bit small and you have to pack your shopping quickly, if those are the costs you have to cut I'm all for it.

Lidl is grim, can't deal with that place. Stacks of boxes piled on top of each other with garish luminous yellow signs randomly scattered about. It's like a pop-up but it's all gone a bit wrong.

Click to shrink...

If you're packing your shopping quickly at the till you're doing it wrong, hoy it all back in the trolley and go bag it at the shelf.

Agree about Lidl though, Aldi's cheap but Lidl feels cheap.

 

[Deleted member 1478]

Everyone enjoying the unseasonably warm weather this weekend then? The heat isn't necessarily my favourite (I'm a big wimp) but walking around Oxford today was nice.

 

[8bit]

Woah, activity in BritERA.

Funnily enough I just got back from Aldi, closest supermarket to me which I love 'cause Aldi is the best supermarket imo.



If you're packing your shopping quickly at the till you're doing it wrong, hoy it all back in the trolley and go bag it at the shelf.

Agree about Lidl though, Aldi's cheap but Lidl feels cheap.

Click to shrink...

Seem to have some kind of weird blindness where I can't tell the difference between the two even if I'm looking at the sign outside. Was in a LIDL in Germany yesterday (was a LIDL, am looking at the receipt as I type), and it was like a sliding block puzzle it was so busy, move one step to the left and suddenly there's a stock replenisher trying to barge through to the produce. I'm a sucker for the Aisle of Mystery though, always tempted to pick up a chainsaw.

 

[Deaf Spacker]

Is anyone else looking like they spent the weekend in Chernobyl?

 

[Deleted member 1478]

Is anyone else looking like they spent the weekend in Chernobyl?

Click to shrink...

Today was the only day I went out. Spent the rest of the time hiding out Infront of a fan.

 

[Deaf Spacker]

Today was the only day I went out. Spent the rest of the time hiding out Infront of a fan.

Click to shrink...

Today has cooled down a little, Friday to Sunday was toasty but then I don't mind the heat.

Bring on summer :D

 

[Deleted member 1478]

Today has cooled down a little, Friday to Sunday was toasty but then I don't mind the heat.

Bring on summer :D

Click to shrink...

I plan to spend my life savings and buy enough Dyson bladeless fans to completely cocoon me in a protective cooling shield during the summer until that evil season ends.

 

[Deaf Spacker]

I plan to spend my life savings and buy enough Dyson bladeless fans to completely cocoon me in a protective cooling shield during the summer until that evil season ends.

Click to shrink...

Do you know if they're any good? A lot of people slag off Dyson but I have their cordless V10 model and I think it's great.

 

[Deleted member 1478]

Do you know if they're any good? A lot of people slag off Dyson but I have their cordless V10 model and I think it's great.

Click to shrink...

All I can really say its that ive walked past one in a shop and it seemed very nice. I've heard people say they aren't worth the money but I'm kind of like you where I haven't had an issue with Dyson before so am at least willing to try it out. I just wish they were a bit cheaper.

 

[Deaf Spacker]

All I can really say its that ive walked past one in a shop and it seemed very nice. I've heard people say they aren't worth the money but I'm kind of like you where I haven't had an issue with Dyson before so am at least willing to try it out. I just wish they were a bit cheaper.

Click to shrink...

Yeah they are a bit on the pricey side but at least with the hot and cold one it could be used all year round.

 

[JoeNut]

Do you know if they're any good? A lot of people slag off Dyson but I have their cordless V10 model and I think it's great.

Click to shrink...

My friend has the big version and it's great, does hot and cold I believe. Hot is like a quiet hairdryer it's super warm

 

[Deaf Spacker]

My friend has the big version and it's great, does hot and cold I believe. Hot is like a quiet hairdryer it's super warm

Click to shrink...

Thanks, the reviews online are 50/50 so it'll probably be a good idea if I try one out in person.

 

[8bit]

Yeah they are a bit on the pricey side but at least with the hot and cold one it could be used all year round.

Click to shrink...

I've got a hot and cold one, was a work related bonus thingy. It's pretty good but not sure I'd have opted to pay the price if there were cheaper alternatives.

 

[Deleted member 1478]

I'll probably get the hot and cold one as it seems to be the one recommended these days but I don't know how much I'll use the heat setting. I use my fan at night all year round. Can't stand feeling even slightly warm!

 

[Miss Piggy]

Hi all, I was wondering what's happened to the London meets? I don't know if I've missed them or there hasn't been any recently?

 

[Zornica]

might be a weird question but... is there a reason why so many UK shops offer free shipping within the UK but can't be bothered to ship outside or to mainland europe? like not even for an additional fee?

 

[astro]

might be a weird question but... is there a reason why so many UK shops offer free shipping within the UK but can't be bothered to ship outside or to mainland europe? like not even for an additional fee?

Click to shrink...

Hassle maybe?

I won't ship outside of the UK when I sell on Ebay as it usually falls on me to work out the exact costs, find a company to send it, then hope it makes it all the way there.

Any issues with refunds and returns can also be a nightmare to organize, especially with Ebay buyer protections.

Not quite the same as actual stores, but I'm sure it's a similar reasoning. Just not worth the hassle for many.

 

[Sunbro83]

Anyone been to both Arcade Club and the new Heart of Gaming site? How do they compare?

In London for a few days with friends and looking for stuff to do but we've been to arcade club several times and don't want to bother if it's not as good

 

[Koukalaka]

Hey folks, coming to the end of my broadband contract and after a wee bit of shopping around, I went for TalkTalk because, frankly, their faster package was cheap as hell. It was a bit of an impulse purchase on my part as I just wanted to get it done and dusted, but I've heard decidedly mixed things about their customer service.

I'm coming from Plusnet, who've been fine, barring the odd connection issue - which might have to do more with the infrastructure as it's all via Openreach anyway, so how much of a difference will there really be outside of router quality, customer service etc?

 

[FantasticMrSnake]

Has anyone went to this https://gaymersinc.com/event/gaymers-inc-pride-party/ ?

Anyone been to both Arcade Club and the new Heart of Gaming site? How do they compare?

Click to shrink...

Did you end up going? I only went to the one in Soho, i think is called Vegas something.., really small, but it has guitar hero, and some weird japanese drums game.

 

[Deleted member 1478]

For some reason I've been finding the heat this long weekend a lot harder to deal with than the plus 30s earlier in the summer. It's bad when I'd rather be at work than home just so I can use the AC.

 

[Jacknapes]

Same here, the heat we had earlier in the summer i could cope with no problem. But the past weekend, it was aweful. Very close, humid and uncomfortable. Went through more t-shirts than early summer.

 

[Menaged]

Hi all!

Maybe someone in here can help shed some light on something I'm struggling with.
I recently moved to London from Israel, and having some thoughts about the NHS.

Not sure why, but I somehow got it in my head that the NHS is not very good...
Would any of you recommend opting for a private health insurance to bolster it?

Theoretically, I can continue paying "health fees" to the Israeli body and then have the option to receive medical treatment there in case something bad happens, but it's not gonna be very cheap to do so.

Appreciate it!

 

[7aged]

NHS is good, if stretched. No need for private insurance.

 

[FantasticMrSnake]

https://nierconcert.com/concert/london2020/

 

[Deleted member 1478]

Didn't think this needed its own thread as the majority of Era wouldnt know who he is but has anyone else followed the Paul Gascoigne sexual assault case? I do not understand at all how he could get away with that. Sloppily kissing a stranger on a train without their consent because she was a "fat lass" who was being made fun of and needed a pick me up.

 

[sir_crocodile]

Aldi's is bringing back the grim reaper sausages from the summer that had california reaper (super hot chillis) in next Thursday.

If they're identical to last time they'll be awesome, it's rare to find sausages that are *actually* hot, rather than just claiming to be

 

[7aged]

Challenge accepted. I'm going to have find an Aldi. None in my neigbourhood.

 

[sir_crocodile]

I picked some up, they're as good as they were in the summer.

 

[HotHamWater]

Damn, thread been dead for a while, huh.

Anyway, has anyone got any experience trying to get Virgin Media to offer you a good deal? I've called up and they've offered a measly discount atm so I'm pretty pissed. I've also heard that people cancel their service and start a new account in their partner's name for the cheaper 12 month contract, but I'm a little worried about all the random charges that might be involved with that. Unfortunately the area I'm in is purely wired for Virgin atm, every other service provider is less than half speed at best, and generally even worse than that because I'm a distance away from the exchange. Thanks OpenReach.

 

[Jaws]

Damn, thread been dead for a while, huh.

Anyway, has anyone got any experience trying to get Virgin Media to offer you a good deal? I've called up and they've offered a measly discount atm so I'm pretty pissed. I've also heard that people cancel their service and start a new account in their partner's name for the cheaper 12 month contract, but I'm a little worried about all the random charges that might be involved with that. Unfortunately the area I'm in is purely wired for Virgin atm, every other service provider is less than half speed at best, and generally even worse than that because I'm a distance away from the exchange. Thanks OpenReach.

Click to shrink...

I called them and asked for them to remove some things from my package to bring it down after the first year, as we had the XL once which included everything, the guy on the other end of the phone just said he would keep it the same price for me rather than the £50 a month more it should of been